Navaneeth Kumar* hails from the Indian state of
Kerala. (*All the names used here are original and refer to actual individuals.
This has been done to lend authenticity.) In the early 2000’s, he completed
high schooling and reached that point in life when he had to decide the college
he would attend and, in turn, the career that he would choose. Not a student
with excellent academic credentials, Navaneeth decided to pursue a course in
nursing in the city of Bangalore. He got admitted in a college there and,
though his heart was not in it, began a new phase of his academic life.
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| The motto of the University is "Speak Truth; Follow Dharma". |
Navaneeth’s heart was in Cricket and that was the
primary reason why he had picked a college in Bangalore - so that he could
attend matches whenever possible and also try his hand at some bowling if
circumstances favoured. Cricket was the only love of his life and it seemed as
though it would be the only love of his life.
That was when the Sri Sathya Sai Institute ofHigher Learning (SSSIHL) came into his life and changed it forever. Navaneeth
actually discontinued his nursing course midway to enrol in the SSSIHL. He did
this knowing mighty well that the 1.5 lakh rupees his father had invested for
his nursing education would go down the drain. And he did this without even
informing his father! How could he have because fate struck a fatal blow that
took his father away from his life forever? Navaneeth did this because he found
the true love of his life at the SSSIHL.
What was it that he studied there? What drew him so
powerfully that he was ready to make several sacrifices without a second
thought?
Navaneeth graduated with a diploma degree in the Mrindangam
(an Indian percussion instrument) from the Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri College of
Music affiliated to the SSSIHL. Before the reader concludes that music is
Navaneeth’s love of life, let me state music and Navaneeth are now worlds apart
and he works as a cameraman and video editor at the Prasanthi Digital Studios
in Prasanthi Nilayam.
Navaneeth’s story is a very detailed and lengthy
one but it is sure to make one draw breaths of awe and wonder. However, his
story is not unique in that sense because thousands of students have passed
through the portals of the SSSIHL, having found the love of their lives here.
And like every other student, the love of his life that Navaneeth found at the
Institute in Puttaparthi is Swami, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It was not as if
Navaneeth gave his Swami a special place in his heart - he gave Him his entire
heart.
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| Everything about the University Administrative block is symbolic. It is located on top to signify 'Higher Learning'. It sits beside the museum of Sanathana Samskruti (Eternal culture and heritage). It sits amidst nature and overlooks the stadium which is symbolic of Life being a Game which needs to be played... |
